Color holds a special place in my heart. I love exploring color and new color combinations, swatching my art supplies and learning about the meaning behind different colors, as well as how they impact us. I’ve collected a few of my favorite resources to help you explore the magic of color, too.
This list includes:
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A full color encyclopedia tool
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A color namer based on a hex code or an image
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A color meanings & symbolisms tool
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A super fast color palette generator
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A color semantics generator to match your branding
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An AI that generates color palettes based on your preferences
ColorHexa
A brilliant all-in-one color encyclopedia. You can search any hex code or color name, and it’ll show you the color meaning, triadic/split/complementary colors, tints, shades, and even how to convert between color systems (CMYK, HSL, etc). It’s like the Wikipedia of color.
It’s also got shades, tints, alternatives, and even a color blindness simulator so you can ensure you’re creating color combinations that are accessible to color-blind users!
Color Name Finder
Ever wonder what “#ffa0e3” should be called? This tool gives you a name (like lavender rose) and pulls from support for thousands of color name lists. It’s a delight when naming colors for your palette, site, or creative project.
Canva..? YES!
You’ve probably heard that red means passion and blue means calm, but oh buddy, there’s so much more where that came from.
It kinda shocked me that of all places, I’d find such a fun and interactive color directory inside of Canva 🤯 This is a surprisingly deep dive into hundreds of hues — not just the classics, but obscure shades you may not even know exist (hello, Xanadu).
Click on any color to learn about its origins, symbolism, and feel. And the best part? Each color comes with ready-made palettes and suggested pairings. It’s like color therapy + inspiration + instant reference sheet rolled into one. I could get lost here for hours (and maybe I have).
Each color’s page covers the following:
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What the color looks like
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The history of the color
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The meaning of the color
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How to use the color
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What colors go with it
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Similar colors to it
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Color conversion (hex, RGB, CMYK, etc.)
And if you thought that was cool enough, when you click on any tile, alongside learning about the color itself and its background, you will also find some great color palettes and color combinations to use with your chosen color. Say hello to hours and hours of play time 👋
Color theory is fun. Color play is even better.
👉 Steal My Color Palettes for Procreate
Want a shortcut? I made you a whole page of downloadable palettes to use in your work (you're welcome 🤪)!
Coolors
The classic for good reason. Generate random palettes, lock in your favorites, tweak hues, and explore harmonies. There’s even a contrast checker and image-based palette generator.
Eva Design System
This color tool is useful if you have a website that involves a UI. It’s a very clever tool that generates semantics colors from just one base color. Semantic colors are colors assigned to specific meanings like "success," "error," or "warning," rather than just their visual appearance. They help users understand the function and purpose of different elements on a page, making interfaces more intuitive and accessible.
Usually, success = green, error = red, warning = yellow.
In this example, if a brand color is a cotton candy pink, it chooses colors that complement that brand color. Usually, success = green, error = red, warning = yellow. I
Success = [green] deep lemon lime
Error = [red] carmine rose
Warning = [yellow] honey yellow
So if you want deep customizability with consistency, this is a super helpful resource!
Khroma
If you want to gather all of your favorite colors in one place and learn how to use them, this one’s for you. Pick 50 of your favorites and let the algorithm do the rest!
💬 Quick Recap
ColorHexa: Deep-dive info, theory, accessibility
Color Name Finder: Naming hex codes with personality
Canva: Meanings, pairings, mood building
Coolors: Fast and customizable palette play
Eva: Brand consistency + semantic color mapping
Khroma: Personalized palettes powered by taste
💡 Want a step-by-step guide for building color palettes?
If you’re in the Procreate world and want to actually learn how to build color palettes that work for you, check out my Procreate Color Palette Builder course. It’ll walk you through how to create color palettes with intention, mood, and flexibility, whether you’re just starting or refining your creative workflow (just a warning: this is addictive!!) 😍
If you’ve got a favorite color tool, drop it in the comments! We’re always collecting 😍
